Page 88 of All You Need is Alien Love
This sort of nonsensical fuckery has River and Nirblob written all over it. My hearts soar and my chest swells with pride.
Good work, my mate. And… Nirblob. At this rate, I really am going to have to forgive him for kidnapping River… eventually.
I will throw a party for the little green guy after we send these assholes packing.
Adeline tries typing something into the main terminal a final time and then uses the voice-activated controls instead. “Requesting system override. Captain passcode alpha-zeta-97522. Initiate.”
A long beep sounds and then, “Error. User lacks necessary Operation CHAOS permissions.”
I choke back a laugh. Hell yes. It’s definitely my mate and Nirblob who’ve thwarted Adeline’s escape route. The two of them together are brilliant, but also dangerous. Thankfully, Nirblob takes his cues from River, and my mate is all about, as he says, the Light Side of The Force.
By now, Adeline looks like she’s ready to blow a fuse, and I wish I could take some pictures for everyone. She deserves to squirm after everything she’s done.
Just when I think she might use her phaser on the ship’s controls, Layne Madison finally makes his appearance. Now that trouble’s looming, he’s looking to flee like a space-rat running from an engine fire.
“We have a problem,” he grits out between clenched teeth.
I recognize him almost immediately, even though he’s wearing a different form—or “alter,” as Osairans call it. For some reason, he can’t seem to shed the smarmy side of his core personality that slithers through like a space-eel every time he morphs into someone else.
Today he’s dressed in a dark uniform and tactical gear, and he’s sporting dirty blond hair cut short and combed neatly to the side. His eyes are a bright blue color, but devoid of any emotion as he takes in the scene around him.
As River would undoubtedly say, the sociopath vibes are strong with this one.
“It would appear that our ships’ operating systems have been infiltrated by some type of virus-like program.” His mouth twists into a grim line. “We’re stranded for the moment. Contact with the ships in orbit has been cut off.”
“All of them?” The disbelief in Adeline’s voice is palpable.
River was right. These idiots have woefully underestimated us.
Layne Madison’s mouth twists with displeasure. “So it would seem.”
As they continue to bicker, I covertly begin working on trying to loosen my restraints.
Adeline scowls and runs her hand through her hair, tugging on the strands in obvious frustration. “How the hell could something like this happen?”
Layne Madison crosses his arms over his chest. “It seems the Alliance had a talent we were not aware of in their ranks.”
Adeline begins to pace. “Impossible. I was undercover there for years. I’m telling you, there’s no one with the ability to do something like this.”
Layne Madison narrows his eyes at her and then turns his probing gaze on me. I draw on my training and school my features, giving nothing away.
“Perhaps he can tell us who’s responsible for this little problem.”
His cold, dead gaze bores into me, but I hold my ground, refusing to show fear. It’s a bit of a challenge to remain defiant while strapped to a medical chair against my will, but I’m certain River would be proud.
“If you wish to extract information out of him, make sure not to damage his body. I still have experiments I need to run on him,” Adeline says.
Layne Madison narrows his eyes. “We don’t have time for either. But he’ll be a useful bargaining chip in hostage negotiations.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Our mission has been derailed.” Layne Madison’s expression darkens. “I’m loath to admit it, but we have sorely underestimated our foe.”
My tentacles roil with glee and one of the straps around my right arm gives a little.
Adeline scoffs. “I sincerely doubt that.”
The look he shoots her sends shivers down my spine.
